Ecotourism in Costa Rica Term Paper

Total Length: 1142 words ( 4 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 3

Page 1 of 4

Cultural Geography

give me a brief overview of what you are going to do concerning eco-tourism, sustainable development, and cultural ecology and how they apply to Costa Rica

Costa Rica is internationally recognized for its continuous efforts in protecting natural resources and ensuring biodiversity. Research shows that the country supports more than five percent of global biodiversity. These conservation efforts of its citizens have continued to attract millions of tourists to the country's reserves and parks. The coastal environments, cloud forests, mountaintops, and volcanoes are famous for sheltering different species of animals. Different types of animals like scarlet macaws, toucans, quetzals, and hummingbirds are found in the country's tropical ecosystem. Costa Rica's remarkable biodiversity provides a base for nature-based tourism. The diverse landscape, coffee farms, agricultural fields, stunning beaches, mosaic forests, and pastures offer tourists and tourists alike a natural haven for exploration of tropical biodiversity, rich culture, and good food (Klak 25).

However, the current transition from agriculture-based economy to a service-based economy, accelerated infrastructural development, and climate change are threatening Costa Rica's society and biodiversity. Energy and water sources are already stretched to their limit as rural areas give way to the development of urban areas. It is also increasingly being threatened by inappropriate waste disposal, population growth, and monoculture expansion. This is resulting in fragmentation and consequent loss of forests. Reorganization in the use of resources and waste disposal management is needed in order to maintain functioning and healthy ecosystems in the country.

In 1987, investigators counted more than 1500 adult golden toads. In recent years, no golden toad has been discovered: one of the reasons for visiting Costa Rica is to search for it. Many scientists have rendered the orange-colored toad extinct in the past years.
Some connect this extinction to the volcanic eruptions, habitat destruction, and depletion of the ozone layer, chemical pollution, warming El Nino currents and winds or diseases caused by single-celled protozoan (Honey 12).

I have realized that these rapid and extensive changes in Costa Rica are threatening the country's efforts in sustainable development. I will identify the benefits of protected areas and examine the management schemes. I will also determine the useful systems offering the best options for the preservation of biodiversity, maintaining of cultural norms, and development of the economy. In my study, I will examine the impacts of development on the society and the environment by understanding current and historical aspects of sustainable development strategies in the country. I will also equip myself with knowledge of tropical ecosystem connectivity and function. My focus is to develop relevant questions that will address local issues related to sustainability. I will design and conduct field research on various topics of immediate relevance to locals and propose alternative approaches aimed at sustainable development. This will help in addressing challenges to conservation goals (Fennell 22).

Brief overview of sustainable development, eco-tourism and cultural ecology as it is today from a global perspective-make it brief, covering the world is hard!

Ecological tourism or eco-tourism has been a growing phenomenon for the past years as the First World grew in its vulnerability to population growth and human development, and appreciation of nature. Ecotourism is characterized by tours on the undisturbed, and fragile natural areas, intended as a small substitute for the contemporary tourism practiced in many countries. It is done for various purposes such as to provide finances for ecological conservation, educate the traveler, political empowerment for….....

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